Further afield

Call for training review as fees and expectations soar The Institute for Learning (IfL) is calling for an independent review into teaching and training practice in FE to prepare for raised expectations from adult students paying high fees. It said an inquiry should examine the best of FE teaching in the UK and internationally in order to identify ways that staff can improve their work as the cost to students is set to soar. Toni Fazaeli, chief executive of the IfL, said: "When this happens, expectations on teachers and trainers are likely to increase dramatically. It is vital that we identify from the best practices nationally and internationally how teachers and trainers can be supported in their quest for excellence, and always being leading edge in their practice."

Student wins football team place at 2012 Paralympics A student at Southgate College, north London, has been selected to play for the British national football squad at the 2012 London Paralympics. Emyle Rudder, who combines a BTEC in sport with football training on the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation course at the college, has already represented the England cerebral palsy squad as a striker, scoring a hat trick against Scotland in the home nations tournament in July. Athletes with cerebral palsy play a 7-a-side game at the Paralympics, with modified rules such as a reduced field of play and elimination of the offside rule.

HEFCE deal heralds music college takeover in Leeds Leeds City College, the UK's third largest college, is to take over Leeds College of Music after winning approval from the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The music college, which is the only one in the country to offer music courses from Btec to degree-level, will retain its name and premises while becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the FE college from August next year. Peter Roberts, principal of Leeds City College, said: "Our partnership with Leeds College of Music brings a complementary addition to our current subject portfolio, facilitating choice and progression for students in the key area of cultural arts and music, as well as further strengthening our HE provision."

Savoy academy will help young chefs cook up a future Croydon College, in south London, is opening an academy for potential young chefs aged 14 to 16 aimed at teaching children where their food comes from, how to cook healthy meals and inspiring the next generation of staff for the hospitality industry. With the help of a pound;10,000 grant from the Savoy Educational Trust, set up by former directors of the famous hotel but now independent from it, the Young Chefs Academy will offer a 10-week course to school pupils, culminating in cooking dinner for guests at the college restaurant. Julia Sibley, chief executive of the trust, said: "This is a very good example of demonstrating how funding from the trust can help provide a great introduction to cooking for potential young chefs, give them valuable life skills and at the same time encourage and nurture future talent for the industry."

Clarification

A report in the October 15 edition of FE Focus about the Manchester College's new partnership with the University of Salford incorrectly said that the college had also struck a deal with Salford City College. In fact, Salford City College's partnership is with the university. We apologise for the error.

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